By Blake Hollingsworth | Staff Writer
Texas had the second most human trafficking cases reported in the United States in 2021, based on the National Human Trafficking Hotline’s most recent data. To fight this, Unbound Now, a national human trafficking nonprofit, provides full-time advocates who assist clients who have been trafficked, helping them with recovery, stable housing, jobs, counseling and other necessary resources.
“They may be out with law enforcement in the middle of the night, helping them with the recovery or accompanying [victims] to the hospital to get a SAFE exam, which is basically a rape exam,” Unbound Now Central Texas Executive Director Kristi Hayes said. “It also means we are continuing our services with them for as long as they need.”
The organization’s Waco location fights to prevent trafficking by educating youth on warning signs in juvenile centers and schools, including Baylor. Members also train law enforcement, hospitals and community leaders to recognize and address trafficking, Hayes said.
One of the common misconceptions about human trafficking is that it’s an “over there” problem, only occurring overseas or on the U.S.-Mexico border, Hayes said. In reality, the crisis has impacted the local community, as Unbound Now Waco has taken over 737 calls from over 148 clients this year.
Frisco senior Sydney Andros, a former marketing intern for the organization, said her experience shifted her view from believing trafficking only occurred in resource-limited countries.
“That’s what we see in movies — really poor countries that might not have resources, and they [people] get lured in and then trapped,” Andros said. “[After] working with Unbound Now, my perspective changed into the fact that it’s all around us … I’ve gained a sense of being alert to the relationships between people and [the warning signs of] a trafficking situation.”
Beyond advocacy and education, Unbound Now Waco aims to unite the community with charitable events like its upcoming Light Up The Dark 5K at Cameron Park Zoo. Andros recalled the annual fundraiser, detailing how meaningful it was.
“People brought their kids, and grandparents were there making it light-hearted,” Andros said. “It shows the people in the city of Waco care about each other and about what others are fighting for and against.”
Women in particular play a key role in advocating for human trafficking victims because they empathize with them, recognizing their need for protection and a safe space, Hayes said. She said her 13-year-old daughter is a major motivation for her involvement with the organization.
“We have a home for girls ages 12-17, and many of [them] have had the worst experiences — abused, trafficked by their own family — and they’re my kid’s age,” Hayes said. “When you know that it’s happening in your own community, you can’t look away anymore and you have a responsibility to do something to help.”
